Kickstarter

Founded in early 2012 by a group of like-minded students at the University of Virginia, Idly Bent Theatre is a body made from many parts. Our goal is to take a story – a never-before-seen fable, a tried-and-true flight of fancy, an enduring classic – strip it down to the bare essentials and give it a good shake, add in an ensemble of electric young actors, and play. The theatre we make is performed on the stage of heart, head, and soul; bringing fresh young perspectives to bold theatrical fare that invite you to play along with us in the intimate, personal, powerful small worlds we create. We emphasize work that appeals to the entire human makeup.

'The Birthday Party' will be our first production in the Washington D.C. area (and our second production, ever). One of Pinter's most highly acclaimed works, it is a subtly brilliant, black-as-night comedy of tectonic identity shifting that asks the simple, terrifying question, "Do you really know who you are?" Our company imagines a fresh take on the show - using original directorial vision, young actors, strong physicality, and instances of live music to bring a new intensity to the performance, all while maintaining the integrity of Pinter's radiant language and masterful storytelling.

One of the biggest challenges for any growing company is the cost of performance space. All of the company members are volunteers, whose time and effort is donated out of a true love for theatre and passion for a good story. Your donations will go directly towards funding our rental of the DC Arts Center, a beautiful black box space on 18th Street, in the heart of the city.